Selected quad for the lemma: fire_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
fire_n	lord_n	offer_v	sacrifice_n	3,205	5	7.8958	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12361	Iacobs ladder, or The high way to heauen Being the last sermon that Master Henry Smith made. And now published, not (as many forged things haue beene in his name) to deceiue the Christian reader, but to instruct and prepare him with oyle in his lampe, ioyfully to meete the Lord Iesus in his second comming.	Smith, Henry, 1550?-1591.	1595 (1595)	STC 22677; ESTC S122459	18,803	31

is called the word of life to shew that there is no way to life but the worde which is called the way and the life Therefore now ye see the way I conclude with Esay This is the way walke in it Thus much of your second step to heauen which is keepe the way Now when yee are in the way it is good to make speed therfore the next step in your iourney is Make hast For this cause Paul saith Runne which is the swiftest pace of man as though he should go faster to heauen than to any place else in the world His meaning is this that as a man doth watch and runne and labour to bee rich quickly so hee should heare and pray and studie and vse al meanes to be wise quickly This the Apostle vnderstandeth when hee biddeth vs to adde as if he should say when thou are in the way and knowest good from euill euery day kill some vice and euery weeke sowe some virtue and make thy two talents fiue talents thy fiue talents ten talents and euer be doing and at last it shall be opened because thou hast knocked Christ saith The kingdome of heauen is got by violence therefore a man must be earnest and zealous in the religion that hee professeth or else it maketh no matter of what religiō he is for if he be but luke warme God threatneth to spew him out of his mouth euery man hath a kind of religion and the religion of most is to bee like one another as mercifull as other as humble as other as deuout as other but God saith Bee holy as I am not as other are for Christ saith Except your righteousnes exceed the righteousnes of the Pharisees although they were holier than other yee shall not enter into heauen That is except ye bee more than statute Protestants which goe to the Church and heare an homilie and receiue once a yeare but will not offend any person nor leaue any custome nor beare any charge nor suffer any trouble for the glory of God yee shall come to heauen when the Pharisees come out of hell As loue deligheth men so zeale pleaseth God for zeale is the loue of God Therefore euery sacrifice was offered with fire to shewe with what zeale they should burne which come to offer prayer or praise or thanks vnto the Lord. Therefore the holy Ghost descended in fire to shew the seruencie of them vpon whom the holy Ghost resteth Therefore the Cherubins were portraited with wings before the people to shew that they should bee as earnest and quicke about the Lordes busines as the Cherubins Therefore God would not take a lame nor a halting sacrifice to shew how hee abhorreth slacknes in all our dueties Therefore Saint Iames saith Bee swift to heare we must bee swift to pray swift to obey swift to doe good for hee is not cursed onely which doth not the Lordes busines but hee which doth it negligently that is hee which doth any thing before it like him that would bid his friends fare well and follow Christ after The hound which runnes but for the hare runnes as fast as possibly she can the Hauke which slyeth but for the partridge slyeth as fast as possibly she can and shall hee which runnes for heauen creepe more slowly than the dyall Who hath so much faith as the Apostles yet howe often doth Christ say O ye of little faith Complaining that their faith was too little and therefore when Peter answered him that he loued him as though hee loued him not enough Christ asked him againe whether hee loued him and as though he loued him not enough yet hee asked him againe Louest thou mee for hee would haue vs loue him as he loued vs when his hart bloud was shed for vs therefore when hee demaunded his loue he measured it by the heart saying Thou shalt loue God with all thy heart with all thy strength with all thy mind Thrise he repeateth all lest we shuld keepe any thing from him Our Sauiour saith not that his Father is glorified that we bring forth fruite but in that we bring forth much fruite is it not better to be vessels of gold than vessels of brasse Doe ye not see how Christ rejected him which said hee kept many commaundements because hee would not doe one commandement for one worke which he would not doe our Sauiour made no reckoning of all that hee had done It was good for the Apostles that they left all and followed Christ presently but this should not be written but to teach vs with what speed we shuld follow Christ watching the slarre so soone as it riseth and the pillar so soone as it neinoueth In this ●●riue and goe one before another as Peter and Iohn strone who should come first to the sepulchre For if Agrippa could be saued when he was almost a Christian Paul would not haue laboured to make him altogether a Christian. Therefore though puritie bee counted heresie yet remember that Christ saith None can see God but the pure in heart and know that there is no dealing with these mockers but to answer them as Dauid answered Michol when shee scorned him for his humblenes hee said I will be more humble yet so when they mocke thee for thy zeale spight them with more zeale for euill is not ouercome but with good Thus we haue passed the third step vnto heauen The fourth step in this happy iourney is Perseuer to the end For if you begin betime and goe aright and make hast and continue not vnto the end your reward is with them of whom Paul saith Their end is worse than their beginning There is nothing in our life which suffereth so many eclipses and changes as our deuotion hot and cold in and out of and on not in one moode so long as the Sparrow fittes vpon the groūd but longing like the Chamelion to the colour of it which we see if we see good it puts vs in a good thought if wee see or heare euill it turnes vs from good to euill againe thus man is rolled vpō a wheele that neuer stands still but turnes continually about as though hee were giddie and treading of amaze Hee is vpon the side of a hill where it is easie to slide and hard to get vp the slesh therefore the Apostle moued with pittie seeing man stand vpon such a slipperie ground as it were in a ship readie to sincke or a house bending to fall hee crieth to them that stand surest Take heede left yee full that is when thou hast put on the armour of light and art in the spirituall field to fight the Lords battailes against the worlde the flesh and the diuell turne not backe like Demas but remember the comfort of Elisha that there bee more with thee than against thee and that the tempter can ouercome none but them which yeeld Other seruants change their masters for better masters but all that serue God are like the

seruant which receiued a print in his eare after the manner of the Iewes in token that he would serue his master for euer like the vestures which bare their owners marke Therefore the holy Ghost crieth so often Be faithfull euen vnto the death Be not wearie of well doing Take heede lest ye fall for when thou art weary of thy goodnes God doth not count thee good but wearie of goodnes and when thou declinest from righteousnes GOD doth not count thee righteous but reuolted from righteousnes therefore Paul sayth Pray continually as though prayer were nothing without continuance Iacob did not ouercome God so soone as hee began to wrestle with him but when hee had wrestled with him al night And it is said that Christ tooke pittie of them that stayed with him I will not leaue thee saith Elisha to Eliah so wee should not leaue God some came into the vineyeard in the morning and some at noone but none receiued any rewarde but they which stayde vntill night As Gods mercie indureth for euer so our righteousnes should indure for euer Euery thought and word and deede of a faithfull man is a step towards heauen in euery place he meeteth Christ euery thing puts him in minde of God he seekes him to find him and when hee hath found him he seekes him still hee is not satisfied because at euery touch there comes some virtue from him Iacob serued seuen yeares for Rachel and after them he serued seuen more and yet hee was content to serue seuen more and when hee had serued so many yeares they seemed vnto him as nothing because he loued hee which serued so long for Rachel serued all his life for heauen and if he had liued till this day he would haue serued God still and thought it nothing because be loued him to haue the Arke but a while doth more hurte to the Philistins than benefite them so to serue God but a while dooth more damage vs then helpe vs for happier is the Childe which neuer began than Iudas whose end was worse than his beginning What a lamentable thing is it to heare this plainte of him which was once the strongest in the worlde Sampson hath lost his strength for Dalilah for the loue of Dalilah that doth not loue him to shew what a shame it is to end worse than we begin Christ shewes what a reproach it was vnto him which began to builde and coulde not set vp the roofe the passingers by poynted with their fingers and saide this man began a foundation but hee could not couer it so they will say this man thought to bee holy but hee could not keepe promise What shal I say saith Iosnuah when Israel turneth the back when Israel turnes the backe this astonished him and this makes the whole Temple shake when the pillars tremble What an offence is it to the Church to see Peter to denye Christ which saide euen now that hee would neuer forsake him To see Lot committe incest with his daughters in the mount which striued so to preserue them chaste in Sodome to see Solomon worship Idols which erected the Temple for the worship of God to see Noah mocked of his sonne for drunkennes for whose righteousnes his sonne escaped as if the starres should fall from Heauen and light goe from the sunne Wisdome is angrie with him which leaueth his righteousnes to become worse the Vine would not forsake her grapes the Oliue would not forsake his fatues the figge tree would not leaue his sweetenes but the bramble did hee is not the Vine nor the Oliue nor the Figgetree but hee was a bramble made for the fire which leaueth the ioyes let the dogge turne to the vomit and the swine to the wallowe but you like Abraham holde on thy sacrifice vnto the euening in the euening of thy life and a full measure shall be measured vnto thee This is a long sleppe and man is like a horse which loueth short iourneyes therfore how can hee hold out so farre when one tolde Socrates that hee would very faine goe to Olympus but hee feared that he should not be able to endure the paynes Socrates answered him I know that thou vsest to walke euery day betweene thy meales which walke continue forward in thy way to Olympus and within fiue or sixe dayes thou shalt come thither how easie this was and yet he sawe it not so is the way to Heauen if men doe bende themselues asmuch to doe good as they beate their braines to doe euill they might goe to Heauen with lesse trouble than they goe to hell Our idle houres are enough to get wisdome knowledge and faith till we were like saints among men if thou looke onely to the stoppes tell all the thornes which he in thy way thou shalt goe fearefully wearilie and vnwillingly euery thing shal turne thee aside and euery snaile shall step before thee and take thy crowne from thee but then lift vp thine eyes from the earth and looke to Christ calling the spirite assisting the Father blessing the Angels comforting the word directing the crowne inuiting and thy fetters shal fall from thee thou shalt rise like the Sunne maruaile how the thing could seeme so hard and bee so easie when ye doe well remember that ye change not for the worse and doe as ye doe then and ye shal continue to the ende Now I haue encouraged you like souldiers and taken away your feare I will bring you to the sight of your enemies and will set them before your face not to weaken you for that were want of charitie but to make you wary which is true loue indeede To number them surely I cannot they are so many and exactlie to describe them it is beyond my skill they are so subtill Howbeit to giue you a little taste I may say as Elisha saide to his seruant and you shall see it if you haue your eyes open seare not for they that be with vs are more than they that be with them and he that is on our side is stronger then all But if you will heare what the holy Apostle saith touching them I can tell you Hee affirmeth and that by the very spirite of God we wrestle not against flesh and blood onely but against principalities powers worldlie gouernours the Princes of the darkenes of this worlde euen spirituall wickednesses in the high places And S. Iohn saith they are the lustes of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life let other men thinke of them what they list they that heare them thus described and haue felt the force of them in their owne soules could not chuse but confesse that they haue been many in number mightie in power subtill in practise and what not who knoweth not this that the more enemies wee haue the more need we haue both of force outwardlie and of care inwardly as againe the more powerfull they are and the more weake wee

are the more we should seeke for helpe else where In outward and bodilie foes and forces wee confesse the truth of this and doe all what we can to shew our selues wise circumspecte and couragious Howe much more had wee need here to expresse all these things where the conflict is more hard though the conquest obtained be more glorious and where againe our foes and their forces be more mightie and many though their ouerthrow once performed giueth them the fooles foile But whom shall we looke to herein Other men are as weake as our selues if not worse for all men lay them vpon a ballance they are altogether lighter than vanitie it selfe And if wee feare and distrust our selues how dare wee or howe can wee put considence in others specially sith God saith Cursed is euery one that maketh flesh and bloud his arme To looke vp to the holy and elected Angels will doe vs little good because they goe not but being sent and alwaies waite for a word and warrant from the Lords owne mouth for all their actions besides that their owne oyle and force is little enough for their owne supportation To God therefore that is the God of our strength wee must needes come yea and to him alone or else wee are vtterly ouerthrowne and cast away And if wee cannot say and do too as Dauid did Lord whom haue I in heauen but thee I haue desired none in earthwith thee we are in a wofull taking and vtterly lost For feare without and fire within Satans malice also mens mischiefe and our corruption will carrie and harrie vs as it were a violent tempest or whirlewind Amongst the heathen they had many odde conceits to chase away bodily and spirituall enemies as those that haue written their histories and actions haue plainely set forth sometimes fire sometimes water sometimes bloud and sometimes one thing and sometimes an other as mans braine is a bountifull ship to forge such deuises in The Papists differ not much from them who thinke that whippinges and scourgings will tame and subdue the corrupt affections of the heart and that the casting of a little holy water as they call it or the making of a crosse in the face forehead breast or any other place will chase away Satan al his hellish powers Of al which actions ceremonies either heathenish or popish were they better than they be but indeed they are slarke naught as they vse them we may say as the Apostle saith Bodily exercise profiteth little but godlines is profitable vnto all things And had Satans malice and mans presumption stayed here and gone no further in grosse imaginations concerning this and other matters it had bin the lesse euill But in our light and libertie of the Gospell some suppose that the very saying of Lord haue mercy vpon vs and that without saith or feeling many times is all in all and the pronouncing of this petition Leade vs not into temptation and that without sense or vnderstanding of it is sufficient to sunder Satan and our owne corruption as farre from vs as the East is from the West Vpon them their spirituall enemies preuailed by grosse ignorance and superstitious conceits vpon vs by carelesse presumption and presumptuous carelesnesse neither the one of vs nor the other vnderstanding rightly as wee should either our foes forces or our owne weakenes And that is the cause why they and we in former time and of late ioyned with them and sundred from them haue receiued very fearefull falles and ouerthrowes For all is one with Satan so he catch and snatch men and haue them in possession he cateth not by what meanes But wilt thou not escape danger onely but ouercome also I will shew thee O man what thou shalt doe at any hand go out of thy selfe and other creatures whatsoeuer for if thou sticke to them though neuer so little thou doest disaduantage thy selfe at the least if not ouerthrow thy selfe The wicked spirits are as strong to effect euill as the elect are to doe good and so much the more powerfull that way by howe much they attempt it with commission from God and finde fit matter in men to worke vpon And what then fixe the eye of thy faith fast vpon God in Christ and thou shalt neuer miscarrie For hee that cannot lye hath sayd it I will not faile thee nor forsake thee for euer and in the new Testament Christ hath tolde vs which is also a word of as sure a promise The gates of hell shall not preuaile against this faith Nay I will say more in the strength and power of this perswasion thou shalt be made more than a conquerour thorow him that hath loued thee and washed thee in his owne hart blood I know and confesse there are many lets and hinderances to the perswasion and practise of this truth but heare and beleeue onely and I will shewe you yet a more perfect and assured waye by which you shall bee made to walke safe either in the day of death or in the time of temptation or in any other course or crosse that may betide you in this life See that you haue not onely the two side postes and the vpper doore postes of your houses stricken ouer with the bloud of the Lambe but your harts purged through faith in his bloud from the power of dead works and then the destroyer that ouerthroweth others shall passe ouer thee and bring thee in good time to the full fruition of the heauenly Canaan But thou wilt say as the slothfull person doth in the Prouerbs There is a lyon yea many lyons in the way I answere reckon them vp and bring them forth they shall all by Gods grace be easily remoued All sorts of afflictions are bitter I confesse it and so are many thinges in meate drinke and phisicke and yet wee refuse them not but vse them rather because of the good we know or hope they will effect in vs. And why say wee not as the Apostle by the spirite doth Nochastisement for the present seemeth to bee ioyous but grieuous Howbeit afterward it bringeth forth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Death also is dreadfull what then but to whom I pray thee euen to the man that hath his trust in his riches or hath no hope of a better life but to him that beleeueth in Christ it is become through the power of the death and obedience of Christ a speedie passage to eternall life We endure many dreadfull and dangerous thinges and runne through fire water and alfor a corruptible crowne And why should wee not with patience and prayer passe through this which is the very high way to heauen Besides hell is horrible Neither will I deny that but still I demaund to whom it is so surely to the diuell and his Angels and all manner of wicked ones for whom it hath beene prepared of old but as for the godly and elect it cannot